


Et Post Ver Semper

by space_buns_arsinoe



Series: Drabbles of the Arsinoe/Billy Chatworth kind [4]
Category: Three Dark Crowns Series - Kendare Blake
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/F, F/M, Marriage Proposal, Spring, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 06:14:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21156938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_buns_arsinoe/pseuds/space_buns_arsinoe
Summary: May not be the fix-it we need, but it's the one we're getting.It's a fix-it. It's fluffy. Need I say more?





	Et Post Ver Semper

**Author's Note:**

> For more of me losing my shit about TDC and various accoutrements, follow my tumblr space-buns-arsinoe

He had to admit that there was something awfully gorgeous about Arsinoe in a dress. Especially as it flared around her calves while she spun through the room with her sister in her arms, both of them laughing like fools and drawing the attention of everyone in the room, himself especially to the bright smile lifting Arsinoe’s face.

The dress she wore was green and had flowers patterned around the hem of the skirt and the seam connecting the bodice and the skirt. She had made it herself and she truly did look like perfection. Like a queen of spring, what with the flower crown a small child at the festival had given her. The spring equinox always bought the best out of people and it was his favourite celebration. Which is why he had bought them all along. The sun had set and the lanterns had been lit and somehow, Arsinoe, Kat and Mirabella were still dancing.

“You know staring at them is weird, right?” He took the offered beer from Pietyr’s hand as the blonde threw himself into the seat beside, sweat slightly beading on his forehead.

“Kat dragged you up for a dance?” Pietyr didn’t answer, but Billy had a feeling it was more because he was focussing on not letting a smile on his face than anything. Pietyr was still trying not to let any of the people he lived with in on the fact that he was actually enjoying not being on Fennbirn, even though they could all see it.

“She did. But apparently I’m no fun,” Pietyr was obviously right as Kat had now joined Arsinoe and Mira as they danced in circles, holding each other tight as they moved to the quick music.

The next person to join them at the table was Elizabeth, who promptly took a sip from the beer that Billy had yet to start. Billy had to admit that she too looked freer on the Mainland, instead of being swamped by priestess robes. Tonight, she wore a midnight blue dress with sleeves to her forearms, another of Arsinoe’s creations and she did look pretty enough that Billy had seen many men eyeing her off. It was no worry, Pietyr and him could step in if need be. Both had grown quite fond of Mira’s girlfriend, as thrown as they were when Elizabeth had ran after their ship when it left Indrid Down solely to confess her love for the eldest triplet.

Mira had asked her to come along and that was that.

“They look so happy out there, don’t they?” Both men nodded absentmindedly. “Billy, are you ever actually going to do anything with the ring in your pocket?” That bought their attention to her, a blush rising on the back of Billy’s neck. 

“When we’re ready,” is all he could say, drawing a scoff from Pietyr. “Don’t scoff. Things arefantastic between us, but the girls are still setting their business up and I’m still at university. It isn’t the right time.”

“Didn’t stop me,” Pietyr said, sipping his beer with his trademark smug look on his face. He was correct. Any men who thought they could make a pass at Kat tonight had been stopped by the giant diamond ring on her finger. Billy pushed his shoulder.

“You got a job as soon as you got here and Kat doesn’t spend all day sewing dresses. One of which, by the way, is your fiancee’s wedding dress.”

“Alright, you two, we don’t need another honey versus maple syrup incident. I only asked because eventually, Arsinoe will notice that you’re carrying around a ring and she’ll have to put you out of your misery instead of you asking her,” Elizabeth placated, her gentle voice soothing stray tempers. 

“Apologies, Chatworth. I just think you need to ask her sooner rather than later.”

“Noted, Arron.” The music changed tempo, slowing down, so he took a swig of his beer, stood and approached her with every intention of taking her spinning, but their conversation played on his mind.

~

“Kitty?” Kat hummed in assent, her face buried in a records book, a pencil twirling between her pale and nimble fingers. “Do you think Chatworth will propose to your sister before Christmas this year?” Not even that was enough to pull her head from the book.

“Unlikely, darling. Why do you ask?”

“Both of them are antsy about it yet neither does anything about it. It’ll be messy if it comes to blows-“

“Which it won’t,” Kat lowers the book and takes his hand. “All will be well between them, they know each other too well for either of them to upset the other. They just are taking their time and they work well. It almost seems like you are more impatient than either of them.”

“Yes, obviously. Both are so obnoxiously patient. It’s like they do it on purpose.”

“You are only impatient because you said Christmas in the betting pool.” Pietyr scoffs but still lays his head on her shoulder, his blonde hair mixing with her black. She strokes his hair absently.

“How do you know that? The rules say we can’t tell each other our bets.”

“Because I know all of the things that happen in this house darling. And I know you.”

“Yeah, you knowing me is an issue. I aim to be unknowable,” Kat scoffed at him and picked her book back up.

“I’m marrying you, so maybe don’t try to be so unknowable with me,” he laid a kiss on her shoulder.

“Never, Kitty Kat,” she rolled her eyes at the nickname and kissed him, her book forgotten.

~

“I’m glad we got to go out tonight. It was nice to see you in your element,” Elizabeth said as she sat at her makeup table. Mirabella ran her finger’s through Elizabeth’s hair before gently beginning to plait it, her gentle hands sure through the strands. “That dress you were wearing was awfully pretty tonight, did you design it?” Mira smiled at her.

“I designed yours too,” she tied the plait off and started on the second one. “And you looked beautiful, if I do say so myself. What kind of trouble did you and the boys get into while we were dancing tonight?”

“Eh, they nearly got into an argument about when Billy would propose which I had to stop myself from joining in on but other than that it was a surprisingly low amount of trouble tonight,” Mira couldn’t help but smile softly. She knew that Pietyr, Kat and her own Elizabeth were growing impatient, but Mira had bet for next December, so she wasn’t worried. She seemed to be the most likely to win the pool.

“You know the rules say no coercion, right?”

“Pietyr started it. I followed the rules,” Mira chuckled and leaned down to kiss Elizabeth’s brow, tying her hair at the same time. 

The chaste moment was cut off with a thud against the wall and a giggle from the other room.

“Sounds like Kat and Pietyr don’t want to let the night end,” Elizabeth chuckled as she stood and walked over to their bed, turning the covers back and hopping in.

“Who decided that we had to be the ones who share the wall?” Elizabeth laughed and gestured for Mira to join her. Mira bid her so, sinking into the bed in between Elizabeth’s legs.

“Hate to inform you, darling, but you did.”

“Ah and what a fool I am.” They giggled and Mira turned them so she could hold Liz as they fell asleep.

~

“I’m never dancing again, junior. I’m not skilled enough at shoe making to make comfy shoes,” Arsinoe groaned as she sprawled out on the bed, her short hair haloing around her head on the soft green pillow case. She flexed her sock clad feet and let out a breath. She heard him chuckle from the ensuite and then his steady gait across the carpet.

He pulled her to stand up by her hands and rubbed her shoulders softly, putting a kiss in her hair.

“It was your choice to dance the night away, A. Have you brushed your teeth?” Arsinoe groaned and leaned against him, her head against his chest. 

“Do I have to?”

“Yes.”

“Fine,” she staggered past him. He chuckled at her reaction and climbed into bed, picking up his law textbook and pretending to read it, instead listening to the routine sounds of her brushing her teeth. Also known as her trying to hum a tune around the brush in her mouth. It made him smile.

The water ran and she came out of the ensuite a moment later, her hands in her pyjama pockets. She padded over and hopped up onto her side of their bed.

“You left this in the bathroom,” she pulled a velvet ring box out of her pocket and tossed it to him. His face fell.

“You didn’t look in it?”

“My contacts dried out and I didn’t have my glasses on. I assumed it wasn’t my business,” she shrugged and he rolled his eyes at her, reaching over and grabbing her chunky glasses from the bedside table. She took them and put them on, relieving the squint she had been using to focus. He shoved the ring box into her hands and she shot him a weird look before looking at the box’s contents.

She went perfectly still.

“Just so you know, it is a 100 percent yes, but now everyone has to give Pietyr 100 bucks each,” she easily slipped the ring onto her finger and grabbed his hand.

“What?”

“Our housemates were betting on when you were going to propose, which is what I assume this is. Kat got knocked out last year and Elizabeth a couple of weeks ago, it was just Piet and Mira. And unless you feel like hiding this until after Christmas, Pietyr won,” Billy let his head fall back against the head board, trying not to let his heart turn to goo at the bright, shining smile on Arsinoe’s face.

“I’m going to kill them,” Arsinoe laughed, before moving to straddle him.

“Tomorrow, Junior,” she kissed him and he was happy.


End file.
